When it comes to Applications (apps) for your Smartphone, there is no doubt the iPhone has you covered. Despite the huge rejection rate for new apps, Apple currently has the largest applications on the market available through its app store.

Who could forget the ad campaign in 2009 for the iPhone 3G? In one of its commercials Apple asked: if you want to check snow conditions on the mountain, there’s an app for that. If you want to check how many calories are in your lunch, there’s an app for that. And if you want to check exactly where you parked the car, there’s an app for that. And new to the app store this year, if you want to check the dress code for Thursday night’s party-during the upcoming Ethiopian Soccer tournament in San Jose- there’s an app for that too. Enter ArifSoft.

ArifSoft is a company founded by longtime friends Bef Ayenew and Ephraim Tekle who together, have a combined experience of over 20 years in software development. We recently caught up with Bef who tells TsehaiNY, “ArifSoft is an idea that was born out of our shared desire to work on Ethiopian software projects.” ArifSoft came about in early 2009 and is the official release name for products the firm builds. “We have been close friends going back to our college days and our common interest in software has brought us together on a number of collaborative projects,” explains Bef. Bef is a software developer and Ephraim is a research scientist who according to Bef “has always had an unusually high interest in software for someone who is a research scientist.” The two have always enjoyed playing with new technologies and are eager to put their knowledge to use by developing exciting innovative Ethiopian apps. Enter ArifQuas.

ArifQuas is one of Bef’s and Ephraim’s latest development and “is intended to provide attendees of the Ethiopian Soccer tournament in San Jose, California with the latest information on parties, concerts, local restaurants, tournament scores and much more.” The main purpose of the app is to provide the user with accurate and timely information about the various events taking place so that they can make an informed decision. The application is integrated with GPS, giving users information such as where they are from a particular point of interest. The app has unique features such as allowing promoters to communicate changes to event goers in real time. Currently, AfrifQuas is working with organizers of ESFNA in order to also provide up-to-the-minute scores of the tournament. “The people at ESFNA have been very enthusiastic about our product and have been helpful in finding us more ways to promote it.”

ArifSoft is also behind ArifZefen, a well known Ethiopian music website. The team has developed an iPhone app for ArifZefen which allows individuals to access songs, create and save their playlist, and even upload existing playlists created on the website onto their phone. The ArifZefen app is available on a very limited basis and is not yet at the app store. “We hope to make it available to everyone in the very near future.”

While it can be frustrating, to spend time on building an app only to have it rejected, Bef advises developers to “stick to their idea and see it through. We’ve had our share of ideas that didn’t go the distance for a number of reasons. But if you keep trying and follow through, it’s only a matter of time before you stumble on an idea that will persist and last long enough to let you see it through its completion.”